Toilet seats are typically raised and lowered by manually grasping the edge and lifting or lowering the seat accordingly. The seat and its cover are generally hinged at their rear edge so that the seat and cover can be rotated about the hinge pins. Many toilet users are concerned with the sanitary aspects of touching a toilet seat. In their down and operational position, toilet seats are exposed to splashing of toilet water and human wastes, contact with various body parts, and the accompanying germs and bacteria.
Some attempts have been made to provide lifting means for such seats without touching the seat itself. Many of these devices are attached to the seat, and thus are exposed to the same splashing effect and body contact as the seat itself. Other devices have attached to the seat cover, while engaging the seat in some manner, but such devices lack adjustability for various shapes of seat covers, and further lack the ability to be easily removed for cleaning, while having an effective attachment mechanism that prevents dislodgement.
Therefore, a long standing need has existed to provide a novel means for raising and lowering a toilet seat without touching the seat or anything that is connected with the seat while in use, with sufficient adjustability for various models of toilet seats, and an attachment method that allows for both easy removal and substantial security.
The above problems and difficulties are obviated by the present invention which provides a novel means for raising and lowering the seat on a toilet bowl, which is pivotally attached thereto, that incorporates a handle having an attachment portion secured to the underside of the seat cover using both hook-loop fasteners and a snap button, and including a handle portion which extends outwardly from the front edge of the seat cover for grasping. The handle is equipped with attachment means that allows for adjustment to varying designs of toilets seats for nearly universal fit. The handle is movably coupled with the attachment means and a pulley mechanism, which pulley mechanism is in turn coupled with a latch to engage the toilet seat so that the toilet seat and toilet seat cover can be lifted simultaneously.
Thus, there is a need for a device that allows a user to lift a toilet seat using a sanitary handle, while at the same time keeping the sanitary handle away from the toilet bowl during use so that it remains sanitary.